DRL Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO): DRL FY22 DPRK Increasing Access to Information Programs – Statements of Interest

Public Discover
The Funding Alternative quantity is SFOP0009269.

Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Request for Statements of Curiosity: DRL Rising Entry to Data within the Democratic Individuals’s Republic of Korea (DPRK or North Korea)

1. Requested Goals for Statements of Curiosity

The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) publicizes a Request for Statements of Curiosity (RSOI) from organizations desirous about submitting Statements of Curiosity (SOI) for packages that assist the coverage goal to extend the free circulate of goal, impartial info into, out of, and throughout the Democratic Individuals’s Republic of Korea (DPRK or North Korea).

PLEASE NOTE:  DRL strongly encourages candidates to right away entry SAMS Domestic or www.grants.gov with the intention to get hold of a username and password.  For directions on methods to register with SAMS Home for the primary time, please seek advice from the Proposal Submission Directions for Statements of Curiosity at:  https://www.state.gov/bureau-of-democracy-human-rights-and-labor/programs-and-grants/.

The submission of a SOI is step one in a two-part course of.  Candidates should first submit a SOI, which is a concise, 3-page idea observe designed to obviously talk a program thought and its aims earlier than the event of a full proposal utility.  The aim of the SOI course of is to permit candidates the chance to submit program concepts for DRL to judge previous to requiring the event of full proposal purposes.  Upon overview of eligible SOIs, DRL will invite chosen candidates to broaden their concepts into full proposal purposes.

This solicitation contains two (2) classes beneath which candidates could submit SOIs.  Every group could submit a most of two (2) SOIs, one per class.  Organizations should clearly establish the class to which the SOI is responding.  If a SOI doesn’t explicitly establish one of many beneath classes on the primary web page of the SOI, it might be deemed technically ineligible and might not be forwarded to the overview panel for consideration.

SUPPORTING FREEDOM OF INFORMATION.  The target of tasks beneath this class is that North Koreans have improved understanding of democracy, human rights, and elementary freedoms, together with elevated consciousness of how their particular person rights and freedoms are inhibited by the DPRK authorities.  Illustrative actions of tasks proposed beneath this class embody:

• Creating or curating content material on ideas or themes of democracy, human rights, and elementary freedoms and/or evaluation of home and worldwide developments. All new content material have to be tailor-made to North Korean audiences and developed to foster vital pondering and alternatives for discourse on particular person rights and freedoms.
• Supporting well timed, fact-based, and impartial native reporting on political and social developments, together with human rights abuses, within the DPRK. Candidates should clearly articulate their potential to hold out actions safely and successfully.
• Rising entry to goal, impartial info amongst North Korean audiences by way of secure, safe, and confirmed approaches, equivalent to radio broadcast transmissions or different examined strategies. Candidates should clearly reveal present capability and expertise to hold out actions safely and successfully.
• Cultivating a brand new era of content material creators, notably among the many North Korean defector neighborhood, by strengthening their technical content material creation abilities and operational sustainability. Such efforts should embody small grants to people or nascent content material improvement organizations.

For proposed actions targeted on “creating or curating content material,” sturdy desire will likely be given to new content material that raises consciousness of human rights abuses skilled by North Koreans; the authorized rights of girls and women and individuals with disabilities beneath DPRK home legal guidelines and worldwide human rights obligations; worldwide best-practices and norms for labor rights and protections; and elementary freedoms of expression, motion, affiliation, and peaceable meeting.  Candidates ought to clearly clarify how the proposed content material themes complement the proposed media format, considering the media consumption setting within the DPRK and the upper ranges of danger North Koreans are uncovered to when consuming overseas media.

All proposed actions targeted on “creating or curating content material” and “rising entry to goal, impartial info” should be led by or embody session and/or engagement with the North Korean defector neighborhood as specialists or companions.  Such engagement may embody defector-led suggestions mechanisms and/or sub-granting to defector content material creators.  SOIs that don’t embody this requirement could also be deemed technically ineligible.

DIVERSIFYING MECHANISMS FOR INFORMATION ACCESS.  The target of tasks beneath this class is that North Koreans have a higher range of confirmed context-specific and safe mechanisms by way of which they will safely and reliably entry goal, impartial info.  Illustrative actions of tasks proposed beneath this class embody:

• Researching present techniques or applied sciences utilized by the DPRK authorities to inhibit entry to exterior info and figuring out alternatives to bypass such techniques or applied sciences with the intention to extend the security of North Korean residents consuming exterior info. Candidates could suggest methods to additional leverage present applied sciences already utilized by North Koreans; nevertheless, any proposed applied sciences should have been recognized or verified as nonetheless energetic and/or related throughout the final two years.
• Scaling up or enhancing tailor-made, confirmed applied sciences to securely talk, share, or devour exterior info and content material. Candidates should clearly justify the proposed technical method and claims; articulate whether or not the proposed expertise is demand-driven and relevant throughout the DPRK’s info management setting; and reveal present capability and expertise to hold out the mission safely.

All proposed tasks beneath this class should embody partnership with South Korean organizations, entities, or people, together with these representing the North Korean defector neighborhood.  Partnerships may embody sub-grants to organizations, consultancies with people, focus teams and/or suggestions mechanisms with North Korean defectors or different specialists, or different technique of engagement.  Reference to partnerships should exemplify that the first applicant has the context-specific information and experience to implement a tailor-made, secure method.  SOIs that don’t embody this requirement could also be deemed technically ineligible.

To be eligible, all proposed tasks beneath both class should:

• Clearly point out the class to which the SOI is responding;
• Exhibit sturdy understanding of the working setting by articulating dangers to mission implementation, employees, and beneficiaries, and mitigation measures that could be taken;
• Show a capability to localize mission actions by leveraging the experience of North Korean human rights organizations, activists, and defector communities.

All packages ought to intention to have impression that results in reforms and will have the potential for sustainability past DRL assets.  DRL’s desire is to keep away from duplicating previous efforts by supporting new and inventive approaches.  This doesn’t exclude from consideration tasks that enhance upon or broaden present profitable tasks in a brand new and complementary manner.

DRL is dedicated to advancing fairness and assist for underserved and underrepresented communities.  Packages ought to search methods for integration and inclusion of people/organizations/beneficiaries that may carry views based mostly on their faith, intercourse, incapacity, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identification, gender expression, intercourse traits, nationwide origin, age, genetic info, marital standing, parental standing, being pregnant, political affiliation, or veteran’s standing.  Packages needs to be demand-driven and domestically led to the extent attainable.

To maximise the impression and sustainability of the award(s) that end result(s) from this RSOI/NOFO, DRL reserves the correct to execute a non-competitive continuation modification(s).  Any non-competitive continuation is contingent on efficiency and availability of funds.  A non-competitive continuation is just not assured; the Division of State reserves the correct to train or not train the choice to concern non-competitive continuation modification(s).

Actions which are not sometimes thought-about aggressive embody, however aren’t restricted, to:

• The supply of huge quantities of humanitarian help;
• Purely educational exchanges or fellowships;
• Exterior exchanges or fellowships lasting longer than six months;
• Theoretical explorations of human rights or democracy points, together with tasks aimed primarily at analysis and analysis that don’t incorporate coaching or capacity-building for native civil society;
• Micro-loans or related small enterprise improvement initiatives.

II. Eligibility Data

Organizations submitting SOIs should meet the next standards:

• Be a U.S.- or foreign-based non-profit/non-governmental group (NGO), or a public worldwide group; or
• Be a personal, public, or state establishment of upper schooling; or
• Be a for-profit group or enterprise (noting there are restrictions on cost of charges and/or earnings beneath grants and cooperative agreements, together with these outlined in 48 CFR 30, “Value Accounting Requirements Administration”, and 48 CFR 31, “Contract Value Rules and Procedures”);
• Have present, or the capability to develop, energetic partnerships with thematic or in-country companions, entities, and related stakeholders together with personal sector companion and NGOs; and,
• Have demonstrable expertise administering profitable and ideally related packages. DRL reserves the correct to request extra background info on organizations that shouldn’t have earlier expertise administering federal awards.  These candidates could also be topic to restricted funding on a pilot foundation.

Candidates could kind consortia and submit a mixed SOI.  Nevertheless, one group needs to be designated because the lead applicant with the opposite members as sub-award companions.

DRL’s desire is to work with non-profit entities; nevertheless, there could also be some events when a for-profit entity is finest suited.  Functions submitted by for-profit entities could also be topic to extra overview following the panel choice course of.  Moreover, the Division of State prohibits revenue to for-profit or industrial organizations beneath its help awards.  Revenue is outlined as any quantity in extra of allowable direct and oblique prices.  The allowability of prices incurred by industrial organizations is set in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) at 48 CFR 30, Value Accounting Requirements Administration, and 48 CFR 31 Contract Value Rules and Procedures.  Please see 2 CFR 200.307 for rules relating to program revenue.

DRL is dedicated to an anti-discrimination coverage in all of its packages and actions.  DRL welcomes SOI submissions no matter race, colour, faith, intercourse, gender identification, gender expression, intercourse traits, sexual orientation, being pregnant, nationwide origin, incapacity, age, genetic info, marital standing, parental standing, political affiliation, veteran’s standing, or different standing.  DRL requires all packages to be non-discriminatory and expects implementers to incorporate methods for nondiscrimination of people/organizations/beneficiaries.

Any applicant listed on the Excluded Events Listing System within the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) (www.sam.gov) and/or has a present debt to the U.S. authorities is just not eligible to use for an help award in accordance with the OMB pointers at 2 CFR 180 that implement Govt Orders 12549 (3 CFR,1986 Comp., p. 189) and 12689 (3 CFR,1989 Comp., p. 235), “Debarment and Suspension.”  Moreover, no entity or individual listed on the Excluded Events Listing System in SAM.gov can take part in any actions beneath an award.  All candidates are strongly inspired to overview the Excluded Events Listing System in SAM.gov to make sure that no ineligible entity or individual is included of their utility.

Organizations aren’t required to have a legitimate Distinctive Entity Identifier (UEI) quantity—previously known as a DUNS (Knowledge Common Numbering System) quantity—and an energetic SAM.gov registration to use for this solicitation by way of SAMS Home.  Nevertheless, if a SOI is accepted, these will should be obtained earlier than a corporation is ready to submit a full utility.  Subsequently, we suggest beginning the method of acquiring a UEI and SAM.gov registration as quickly as attainable.  Please observe that there is no such thing as a price related to UEI or SAM.gov registration.

III. Software Necessities, Deadlines, and Technical Eligibility

All SOIs should conform to DRL’s posted Proposal Submission Directions (PSI) for Statements of Curiosity, as up to date in November 2022, out there at https://www.state.gov/bureau-of-democracy-human-rights-and-labor/programs-and-grants/.

Full SOI submissions should embody the next:

1. Accomplished and signed SF-424 and SF424B, as directed on SAMS Home or Grants.gov (please seek advice from DRL’s PSI for SOIs for steerage on finishing the SF-424); and,
2. Program Assertion (to not exceed three (3) pages in Microsoft Phrase) that features:
   1. A desk itemizing:
      1. Identify of the group;
      2. The goal nation/international locations;
      3. The overall quantity of funding requested from DRL, whole quantity of cost-share (if any), and whole program quantity (DRL funds + cost-share); and,
      4. Program size;
   2. A synopsis of this system, together with a quick assertion on how this system may have a demonstrated impression and interact related stakeholders. The SOI ought to establish native companions as applicable;
   3. A concise breakdown explicitly figuring out this system’s aims and the actions and anticipated outcomes that contribute to every goal; and,
   4. A short description of the applicant(s) that demonstrates the applicant(s) experience and capability to implement this system and handle a U.S. authorities award.

Main organizations can submit two (2) SOIs in response to the RSOI, one per class.  If an applicant chooses to submit a number of purposes to this RSOI, it’s the accountability of the applicant to reveal the competitiveness and uniqueness of every SOI.  SOIs that request lower than $100,000 or greater than $1,500,000 could also be deemed technically ineligible.

Technically eligible SOIs are these which:

1. Arrive electronically through SAMS Home or Grants.gov by 11:59 PM EST on January 23^rd, 2023, beneath the announcement titled “DRL FY22 DPRK Rising Entry to Data Packages – Statements of Curiosity,” funding alternative quantity SFOP0009269;
2. Are in English; and,
3. Heed all directions and don’t violate any of the rules acknowledged on this solicitation and the PSI for Statements of Curiosity.

For all SOI paperwork please guarantee:

1. All pages are numbered;
2. All paperwork are formatted to eight ½ x 11 paper; and,
3. All paperwork are single-spaced, 12-point Instances New Roman font, with 1-inch margins. Captions and footnotes could also be 10-point Instances New Roman font.  Font sizes in charts and tables will be reformatted to suit inside one web page width.

Grants.gov and SAMS Home mechanically log the date and time an utility submission is made, and the Division of State will use this info to find out whether or not an utility has been submitted on time.  Late purposes are neither reviewed nor thought-about.  Recognized system errors brought on by Grants.gov or SAMS Home (https://mygrants.service-now.com) which are exterior of the applicant’s management will likely be reviewed on a case-by-case foundation.  Candidates shouldn’t count on a notification upon DRL receiving their utility.  DRL will not settle for SOIs submitted through e mail, fax, the postal system, supply firms, or couriers.  DRL strongly encourages all candidates to submit SOIs earlier than January 23^rd, 2023 to make sure that the SOI has been acquired and is full.

IV. Assessment and Choice Course of

DRL strives to make sure that every utility receives a balanced analysis by a DRL overview panel.  The Division’s Workplace of Acquisitions Administration (AQM) will decide technical eligibility for all SOI submissions.  All technically eligible SOIs will then be reviewed towards the identical 4 standards by a DRL overview panel: high quality of program thought, addressing limitations to equal participation, program planning, and talent to attain aims/institutional capability.

Moreover, the overview panel will consider how the SOI meets the solicitation request, U.S. overseas coverage targets, and DRL’s total precedence wants.  Panelists overview every SOI individually towards the analysis standards, not towards competing SOIs.  To make sure all SOIs obtain a balanced analysis, the DRL overview panel will overview the primary web page of the SOI as much as the web page restrict and no additional.  All panelists should signal non-disclosure agreements and battle of curiosity agreements.

Typically, the DRL overview panel contains representatives from DRL coverage and program workplaces.  As soon as a SOI is accepted, chosen candidates will likely be invited to submit full proposal purposes based mostly on their SOIs.  Except directed in any other case by the group, DRL may refer SOIs for attainable consideration in different U.S. authorities associated funding alternatives.

The overview panel could present circumstances and/or suggestions on SOIs to reinforce the proposed program, which have to be addressed by the group within the full proposal utility.  To make sure efficient use of restricted DRL funds, circumstances and proposals could embody requests to extend, lower, make clear, and/or justify prices and program actions.

DRL’s Entrance Workplace reserves the correct to make a last dedication relating to all funding issues, pending funding availability.

Assessment Standards

High quality of Program Thought

SOIs needs to be attentive to this system framework and coverage aims recognized within the RSOI, applicable within the nation/regional context, and will exhibit originality, substance, precision, and relevance to DRL’s mission of selling human rights and democracy.  Tasks ought to have the potential to have an instantaneous impression resulting in long-term, sustainable reforms. DRL prefers new approaches that don’t duplicate efforts by different entities.  This doesn’t exclude from consideration tasks that enhance upon or broaden present profitable tasks in a brand new and complementary manner.  In international locations the place related actions are already happening, a proof needs to be supplied as to how new actions won’t duplicate or merely add to present actions and the way these efforts will likely be coordinated.  SOIs that promote artistic approaches to acknowledged ongoing challenges are extremely inspired.  DRL prioritizes mission proposals with inclusive approaches for advancing these rights.

Addressing Limitations to Equal Participation

DRL strives to make sure its tasks advance the rights and uphold the dignity of all individuals.  Because the U.S. authorities’s lead bureau devoted to selling democratic governance, DRL requests a programming method devoted to strengthening inclusive societies as a obligatory pillar of sturdy democracies.  Discrimination, violence, inequity, and inequality concentrating on any members of society undermines collective safety and threatens democracy.  DRL prioritizes inclusive and built-in program fashions that assess and tackle the limitations to entry for people and teams based mostly on their race, ethnicity, faith, revenue, geography, gender identification, sexual orientation, or incapacity.  Candidates ought to describe how programming will impression all of its beneficiaries, together with assist for underserved and underrepresented communities.

Program Planning

A robust SOI will embody a transparent articulation of how the proposed program actions and anticipated outcomes (each outputs and outcomes) contribute to particular program aims and the general program objective.  Goals needs to be bold, but measurable, results-focused, and achievable in an affordable timeframe. 

Capability to Obtain Goals/Institutional Capability

SOIs ought to tackle how this system will have interaction related stakeholders and will establish native companions as applicable.  If native companions are recognized, candidates ought to describe the division of labor among the many applicant and any native companions.  SOIs ought to reveal the group’s experience and former expertise in administering packages, ideally related packages concentrating on the requested program space or equally difficult environments.

For added steerage, please see DRL’s posted Proposal Submission Directions (PSI) for Statements of Curiosity, as up to date in November 2022, out there at https://www.state.gov/proposal-submission-instructions/.

V. Extra Data

DRL won’t contemplate purposes that replicate any sort of assist for any member, affiliate, or consultant of a delegated terrorist group. Please refer the hyperlink for International Terrorist Organizations:  https://www.state.gov/foreign-terrorist-organizations/.  Mission actions whose direct beneficiaries are overseas militaries or paramilitary teams or people won’t be thought-about for DRL funding given objective limitations on funding.

In accordance with Division of State coverage for terrorism, candidates are suggested that profitable passing of vetting to judge the danger that funds could profit terrorists or their supporters is a situation of award.  If chosen for an award, candidates will likely be requested to submit info required by DS Kind 4184, Danger Evaluation Data (hooked up to this solicitation) about their firm and its principal personnel.  Vetting info can be required for all sub-award efficiency on help awards recognized by the Division of State as presenting a danger of terrorist financing.  Vetting info may be requested for mission beneficiaries and members.  Failure to submit info when requested, or failure to cross vetting, could also be grounds for rejecting your proposal previous to award.

The Leahy Regulation prohibits Division overseas help funds from supporting overseas safety pressure items if the Secretary of State has credible info that the unit has dedicated a gross violation of human rights.  Per 22 USC §2378d(a) (2017), “No help shall be furnished beneath this chapter [FOREIGN ASSISTANCE] or the Arms Export Management Act [22 USC 2751 et seq.] to any unit of the safety forces of a overseas nation if the Secretary of State has credible info that such unit has dedicated a gross violation of human rights.”  Restrictions could apply to any proposed help to police or different regulation enforcement.  Amongst these, pursuant to part 620M of the International Help Act of 1961, as amended (FAA), no help supplied by way of this funding alternative could also be furnished to any unit of the safety forces of a overseas nation when there may be credible info that such unit has dedicated a gross violation of human rights.  In accordance with the necessities of part 620M of the FAA, also referred to as the Leahy regulation, mission beneficiaries or members from a overseas authorities’s safety forces could should be vetted by the Division earlier than the supply of any help.  If a proposed grant or cooperative settlement will present help to overseas safety forces or personnel, compliance with the Leahy Regulation is required.

Organizations needs to be conscious that DRL understands that some info contained in SOIs could also be thought-about delicate or proprietary and can make applicable efforts to guard such info.  Nevertheless, organizations are suggested that DRL can’t assure that such info won’t be disclosed, together with pursuant to the Freedom of Data Act (FOIA) or different related statutes.

Organizations must also bear in mind that if in the end chosen for an award, DRL requires all recipients of overseas help funding to adjust to all relevant Division and Federal legal guidelines and rules, together with however not restricted to the next: The Uniform Administrative Necessities, Value Rules and Audit Necessities for Federal Awards set forth in 2 CFR Chapter 200 (Sub-Chapters A by way of F) shall apply to all non-Federal entities, aside from help awards to People and International Public Entities.  Sub-Chapters A by way of E shall apply to all overseas organizations, and Sub-Chapters A by way of D shall apply to all U.S. and overseas for-profit entities. The applicant/recipient of the award and any sub-recipient beneath the award should adjust to all relevant phrases and circumstances, along with the peace of mind and certifications made a part of the Discover of Award.  The Division’s Customary Phrases and Circumstances will be considered at https://www.state.gov/about-us-office-of-the-procurement-executive/.

The knowledge on this solicitation and DRL’s PSI for SOIs, as up to date in November 2022, is binding and might not be modified by any DRL consultant.  Explanatory info supplied by DRL that contradicts this language won’t be binding.  Issuance of the solicitation and negotiation of SOIs or purposes doesn’t represent an award dedication on the a part of the U.S. authorities.  DRL reserves the correct to scale back, revise, or improve proposal budgets in accordance with the wants of this system analysis necessities.

This solicitation will seem on www.grants.gov, SAMS Domestic (https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com), and DRL’s web site https://www.state.gov/statements-of-interest-requests-for-proposals-and-notices-of-funding-opportunity/.

Background Data on DRL and DRL Funding

DRL has the mission of selling democracy and defending human rights globally.  DRL helps packages that uphold democratic ideas, assist and strengthen democratic establishments, promote human rights, forestall atrocities, fight and forestall violent extremism, and construct civil society around the globe.  DRL sometimes focuses its work in international locations with egregious human rights violations, the place democracy and human rights advocates are beneath strain, and the place governments are undemocratic or in transition.

Extra background info on DRL and the human rights report will be discovered on https://www.state.gov/bureaus-offices/under-secretary-for-civilian-security-democracy-and-human-rights/bureau-of-democracy-human-rights-and-labor/.

VI. Contact Data

SAMS Home Assist Desk:
For help with SAMS Home accounts and technical points associated to the system, please contact the ILMS assist desk by cellphone at +1 (888) 313-4567 (toll expenses apply for worldwide callers) or by way of the Self Service on-line portal that may be accessed from https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com/.  Buyer assist is on the market 24/7.

Please observe that establishing an account in SAMS Home could require the usage of smartphone for multi-factor authentication (MFA).  If an applicant doesn’t have accessibility to a smartphone throughout the time of making an account, please contact the helpdesk and request directions on MFA for Home windows PC.

Grants.gov Helpdesk:

For help with Grants.gov accounts and technical points associated to utilizing the system, please name the Contact Heart at +1 (800) 518-4726 or e mail [email protected].  The Contact Heart is on the market 24 hours a day, seven days every week, besides federal holidays.

See https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/ for a listing of federal holidays.

For technical questions associated to this solicitation, please contact [email protected].

Aside from technical submission questions, throughout the RSOI interval U.S. Division of State employees in Washington and abroad shall not talk about this competitors with candidates till your entire proposal overview course of has been accomplished and rejection and approval letters have been transmitted.